Shock Mounts

[hulk_smash]

Maybe you HPDE guys know better about this topic.

Is it imperative to replace the factory shock mounts on stock PP shocks + lowering springs? I'm not sure how robust the factory shock mounts are. I remember reading that they will snap with stiffer shocks.

Would I need to replace them I move up to Koni or Steeda Pro Action shocks?

Is Steeda the only one that makes them? Anyone have any experience with them?

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[ddozier]

Maybe you HPDE guys know better about this topic.

Is it imperative to replace the factory shock mounts on stock PP shocks + lowering springs? I'm not sure how robust the factory shock mounts are. I remember reading that they will snap with stiffer shocks.

Would I need to replace them I move up to Koni or Steeda Pro Action shocks?

Is Steeda the only one that makes them? Anyone have any experience with them?

This was part of my decision to go to coilovers as most coilovers replace the factory mount with their own. If you are really planning to do a lot of track days a good spring and shock setup will make a very big difference in the performance level of the car. Also the ability to corner balance the car, set rake, set camber, set caster, and set ride height is really something to consider.

When you do the math on shocks, springs, mounts, camber plates, camber bolts, and so on you really are very close to the cost of a set of coilovers. I could not be happier with my choice of RideTech for shocks, others have also had good luck with the AFE setup.

Dave

 

[hulk_smash]

This was part of my decision to go to coilovers as most coilovers replace the factory mount with their own. If you are really planning to do a lot of track days a good spring and shock setup will make a very big difference in the performance level of the car. Also the ability to corner balance the car, set rake, set camber, set caster, and set ride height is really something to consider.

When you do the math on shocks, springs, mounts, camber plates, camber bolts, and so on you really are very close to the cost of a set of coilovers. I could not be happier with my choice of RideTech for shocks, others have also had good luck with the AFE setup.

Dave

Hi Dave. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge.

I'm not sure if I want to upgrade my shocks or get coilovers. I already have camber plates and springs but I just didn't want to invest too much at this time.

Are the Ridetech and AFE setups a true rear coilover design? I'm curious to see how they mount in the rear. Does the rear coilover shock mount have to be welded to a roll cage or some structural point? Or does it simply mount to the existing location?

 

[ddozier]

Are the Ridetech and AFE setups a true rear coilover design? I'm curious to see how they mount in the rear. Does the rear coilover shock mount have to be welded to a roll cage or some structural point? Or does it simply mount to the existing location?

I can speak to the RideTechs as that is what I have and I installed them so I know for sure what is there. The rear setup is a true coil over design that moves the spring to the shock location. The rear shock upper mount is redesigned and adds a larger 4 point connection vs the stock 2 point connections. Ridetech provides nutserts and the install tool to add the additional 2 connection points. The location the nutserts are installed is a multi-layer piece of the body and they may be overkill in the overall design but since there have been stock mounting point failures they decided to add the additional points. In the picture the bracket shows the two factory mounting bolts holding the upper part of the bracket and the bracket extends down behind the shock body and has two additional bolts holding the lower portion of the bracket. The lower bolts are hidden by the shock in this picture. Another big plus with their design is the adjuster for shock settings is easily reached and adjusted without removing the wheel. Some of the other shock designs I have seen for the rear have the adjuster on the bottom of the shock and it is difficult to do with the wheel on the car.

Dave

 

[hulk_smash]

I can speak to the RideTechs as that is what I have and I installed them so I know for sure what is there. The rear setup is a true coil over design that moves the spring to the shock location. The rear shock upper mount is redesigned and adds a larger 4 point connection vs the stock 2 point connections. Ridetech provides nutserts and the install tool to add the additional 2 connection points. The location the nutserts are installed is a multi-layer piece of the body and they may be overkill in the overall design but since there have been stock mounting point failures they decided to add the additional points. In the picture the bracket shows the two factory mounting bolts holding the upper part of the bracket and the bracket extends down behind the shock body and has two additional bolts holding the lower portion of the bracket. The lower bolts are hidden by the shock in this picture. Another big plus with their design is the adjuster for shock settings is easily reached and adjusted without removing the wheel. Some of the other shock designs I have seen for the rear have the adjuster on the bottom of the shock and it is difficult to do with the wheel on the car.

Dave

Oh wow. The shock mount looks pretty beefy. I'll have to look into these. Do you know how the Ridetech's compare with to say a JRZ or JRI shock?

 

[ddozier]

Oh wow. The shock mount looks pretty beefy. I'll have to look into these. Do you know how the Ridetech's compare with to say a JRZ or JRI shock?

I do not know about the JRZ or JRI on a Mustang, but the RideTech's are FOX Racing shock mechanics and Hyperco springs, both quality parts.

Lots of info about the parts in the kit here:
http://www.ridetech.com/store/shocks/

Dave

 

[wildcatgoal]

I've tracked my car with the stock shock mounts, no issues. I have since upgraded to the Steeda mounts to avoid any potential future disasters. True coilovers in the back may beef up the upper mount, but don't seem to do anything to bolster the lower mount on the brittle lower control arm. Not for me, anyway.

 

[ddozier]

I've tracked my car with the stock shock mounts, no issues. I have since upgraded to the Steeda mounts to avoid any potential future disasters. True coilovers in the back may beef up the upper mount, but don't seem to do anything to bolster the lower mount on the brittle lower control arm. Not for me, anyway.

I was not aware there had been any lower control arm failures, can you point me to an example and hopefully one with a picture I would like to see how and where they fail so the problem can be avoided.

Dave

 

[wildcatgoal]

Don't have any for you, sorry.

It is a concern of mine. A justified one. Does not mean I have scientific research to provide. Ford designed the LCA to house a spring and mount the lower portion of a shock. NOT to bear all of the weight and forces at the shock mount with two little bolts at ~35 ft. lbs. I have been told by far too many "experts" that something I think is not right based on my observations will not cause issue and it turns out, in a few cases with my own car, it did -- pretty quickly. I'm much more careful now.

My Honda, on the other hand, has a strut design in the back - I'd put a true coilover there without reservation. You of course can do what you wish.

 

[xXANCHORMONXx]

Don't have any for you, sorry.

It is a concern of mine. A justified one. Does not mean I have scientific research to provide. Ford designed the LCA to house a spring and mount the lower portion of a shock. NOT to bear all of the weight and forces at the shock mount with two little bolts at ~35 ft. lbs. I have been told by far too many "experts" that something I think is not right based on my observations will not cause issue and it turns out, in a few cases with my own car, it did -- pretty quickly. I'm much more careful now.

My Honda, on the other hand, has a strut design in the back - I'd put a true coilover there without reservation. You of course can do what you wish.

That's a great point.

If you look at any true rear coilover day for an Evo it's using a 19mm head bolt minimum through the LCA.

This is why you'll see 370Z guys get new LCA when they go to a true rear coilover setups

 

[ddozier]

In the case of the RideTech the rear lower coilover mount is through bolted in place and adds a thick metal bracket to mount it to the control arm. I can not find a picture that shows the mount in place other than in the installation instructions. There are pictures of their setup on page 14 of the installation manual.

http://www.ridetech.com/store/index.php?dispatch=attachments.getfile&attachment_id=1451

Dave

 

[higdominator]

I believe Ridetech has done their due diligence in the design of their coilovers for the S550. They get my vote for bang for your buck.

 

[BackinBlackS550]

I was one of the first (maybe the first on here anyway) to report broken upper shock mounts on the track. I was one of the early users of Viking shocks with the stock shock mount and both my mounts broke coming off The Carousel at Road America, probably somewhere in the high 80mph range. I managed to see some video later from the guy behind me and you can see when the mount breaks. I didn't hit anything until the outside mount broke and sent me off the track, breaking the left side mount. This was before OEM shock mounts were readily available for replacement and well before anyone came out with upgraded ones. I haven't tracked the car since but am very close to getting coilovers, likely Ridetechs based on reviews from on here from those who have them. No more track time with the Vikings and stock mounts for me.

 

[wildcatgoal]

More likely to break if you have no bumpstops, too.

 

[Brent Dalton]

Here are the aFe/Pfadt rear coilover mounts. I installed them a little over a year ago. They use the stock bolt holes with new bolts. I've ran:
-a few days at COTA,
-a few days at Road Atlanta,
-a few days at RPM,
-a handful of AuxoX's

I inspect them after each event during my normal once-over and have not found any issues.

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